Foot (incl. plantar fasciitis, flat feet) decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for pes planus, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, right knee disability, and sinusitis due to insufficient detail in the previous VA examination opinions.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were dismissed. The appeal for service connection of mixed anxiety with depressive disorder was granted.

The Veteran's service-connected cervical strain and lumbar strain have been granted earlier effective dates of July 9, 2010.,Service connection for a left shoulder disability has been granted. The Board finds the evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current left shoulder rotator cuff issues and degenerative joint disease are due to repetitive-use injuries during active service.,The Veteran's service-connected right hip, right thigh, left ankle, and right ankle disabilities have been remanded for clarification of the July 2021 private opinion regarding obesity as an intermediate step. The examiner must provide a rationale addressing whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused or aggravated his obesity, and if so, whether the obesity was a substantial factor in causing the claimed bilateral ankle, right hip, or right thigh conditions.,The Veteran's service-connected left hand disability has been remanded for an opinion on secondary service connection. The examiner must address both causation and aggravation to be deemed adequate. If aggravation is found, the examiner should attempt to quantify the degree of additional disability resulting from the aggravation.

The Veteran's right little finger disability is granted service connection as it is presumed to have occurred during his military service. The low back and neck disabilities are denied as there is no evidence they began during or were caused by his military service. The foot disability (pes planus and plantar fasciitis) is also denied, with the examiner concluding it is more likely due to advancing age rather than being aggravated by his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to a failure to ensure VA satisfied its duty to assist with respect to the Veteran's request for a VA medical examiner's qualifications.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a left leg disability, but remanded the issue of initial rating for left foot pes planus.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased initial rating for PTSD and persistent depressive disorder has been withdrawn. The claims of service connection for a bilateral foot disorder, right ankle disability, lumbosacral spine disability, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity are remanded.

The Board has dismissed the claim for psoriasis and remanded issues regarding whether new and material evidence was submitted to reopen the claim for plantar keratoderma (claimed as infection on feet) and entitlement to service connection for a back disability.

The Veteran's combined schedular evaluation for compensation was 80 percent prior to June 12, 2019, and 90 percent thereafter. The Board finds that remand is warranted for referral to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of his cervical spine disability as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine, bilateral foot, and right knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence supporting a causal relationship between these conditions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral foot disability, including gout, needs further development and is therefore remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a right foot disability, finding no credible evidence of an in-service injury or event that led to the current condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional evidence and examinations. The claims include bilateral pes planus, lumbosacral arthritis with strain, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, hearing loss, tinnitus, head injury residuals, skin disability, CAD, shortness of breath, and ankle disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to issues with the appellant's discharge and the need for additional medical opinions regarding his left foot disability.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral foot disabilities, which included pes planus, hallux valgus, sesamoiditis, and a right sesamoidectomy, did not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to March 24, 2010.

The Veteran's right shoulder strain, bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis (prior to October 18, 2019), and bilateral hallux valgus were all granted initial disability ratings. However, the Veteran's bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis was denied a higher rating since October 18, 2019, and his right foot hallux valgus and left foot hallux valgus were each granted an initial disability rating of 10 percent. A separate 10 percent disability rating for bilateral plantar fasciitis was granted effective February 7, 2021.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left foot disabilities, tinnitus, and sleep apnea have been remanded due to the need for additional development.,Service connection has been granted for migraine headaches and dry eye syndrome with visual disturbances.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection, TDIU, and nonservice-connected pension due to incomplete development and need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's current bilateral foot disorder, diagnosed as plantar fasciitis, is related to his military service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a bilateral foot disability and gastrointestinal disability due to pre-decisional error in not obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.